Ground wheel drive apparatus

Abstract

A ground wheel drive apparatus for producing rotational power to drive seed planters, fertilizer applicators or other devices of the type carried on a farm machine. The apparatus includes a fixed frame for mounting on the toolbar of the farm machine and that frame has a transverse drive shaft journaled thereon. A trailing frame is pivotably carried on the transverse drive shaft and has a ground engaging wheel journaled on its extending end. One end of the transverse drive shaft is coupled to the ground engaging wheel and the other end is coupled to the devices on the farm machine so that rotation of the wheel drives the transverse shaft which in turn drives the devices on the farm machine.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A ground wheel drive apparatus for trailing attachment to the toolbar of a farm machine to provide rotary power to the applicator drive shaft of the farm machine when said apparatus is towed behind the farm machine, said ground wheel drive apparatus comprising: (a) a first frame for fixed attachment to the toolbar of the farm machine, said first frame having an extending end;   (b) a transverse drive shaft rotatably journaled on the extending end of said first frame and disposed to be parallel with the toolbar and applicator drive shaft of the farm machine;   (c) a second frame having said transverse drive shaft rotatably journaled on one end thereof so that said second frame is pivotably movable about the rotational axis of said transverse drive shaft;   (d) a ground engaging wheel rotatably journaled on the opposite end of said second frame;   (e) a first drive means connected between the axle of said ground engaging wheel and said transverse drive shaft for rotatably driving said transverse drive shaft upon rotation of said ground engaging wheel;   (f) a second drive means for connection between said transverse drive shaft and the applicator drive shaft of the farm machine for driving the applicator drive shaft when said transverse drive shaft is rotatably driven; and   (g) stabilizer means extending radially from said transverse drive shaft for engaging the applicator drive shaft of the farm machine to dampen flexing of the applicator drive shaft and to maintain a substantially constant distance between the applicator drive shaft and said transverse drive shaft.   
     
     
       2. A ground wheel drive apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first frame is provided with a pair of connection means mounted thereon for invertably attaching said first frame to the toolbar of the farm machine. 
     
     
       3. A ground wheel drive apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first frame is provided with a pair of connection means mounted thereon for attachment of said first frame to the toolbar of the farm machine in various radially extending directions. 
     
     
       4. A ground wheel drive apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stabilizer means comprises: (a) plate means rotatably journaled on one end of said transverse drive shaft and having a bore formed therethrough which is transverse to the rotational axis of said transverse drive shaft;   (b) an elongated rod slidably mounted in the bore of said plate means;   (c) a spaced pair of rollers mounted on the end of said rod for engaging the periphery of the applicator drive shaft of the farm machine; and   (d) biasing means in engagement with said rod and with plate means for biasing said rollers into bearing engagement with the periphery of the applicator drive shaft of the farm machine.   
     
     
       5. A ground wheel drive apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further including a movement limiting means for adjustably and loosely interconnecting said second frame and said first frame to limit the downward pivotable movement of said second frame to allow said ground engaging wheel to be lifted off of the ground when the toolbar of the farm machine is raised for non-working transport purposes. 
     
     
       6. A ground wheel drive apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said movement limiting means comprises: (a) a cantilever tongue extending from said first frame toward said second frame;   (b) pin means on the extending end of said cantilever tongue and having at least one shank which is normal to said cantilever tongue; and   (c) a chain having one of its ends connected to said second frame and having its other end free for looped over positioning on the shank of said pin means with said chain being slack during normal working operations and becoming taut upon raising of the toolbar of the farm machine.